Caster



Aug 1.8, 1936- J. WElNMANN 2,051,627

CASTER Filed July 27, 1954 GM @WM/WML Patented Aug.` 18,

PATENT ori-ics I.

cssm y Jacques Weinmann, deceased, late of Zurich. Swltaerland, by Jeanne Weinmann, executrlx,

Zurich, Switzerland Y A Anliuon my zi, 1934, serum isa-'311239. .In Germany and Switzerland February 8, 1932l 3Claims.

This invention relates to casters for tables and the like.

The present invention is designed to provide a caster the wheel of which can be automatically 1 made alwaysv to assume the same position with respect to the` article to which the caster is fitted so that when a number of such casters are on the article the wheels can assume positions different resists all but vigorous attempts initially to -displace it. l

` When casters constructed in accordance with the invention are applied to the legs of a` table or the like, then owing to the iioating of the caster wheels, accidental displacement of the table can be prevented by arranging the wheels so that they be automatically set in diierent planes or in different relative directions, and therefore, initially help the table to resist displacement.

According to the present invention the caster is so constructed and arranged that when the article to which it is applied is lifted a part of the caster falls relatively to the article and the relative falling movement is utilized to cause the wheel of the caster to assume a certain ilxed position with respect to the said article.

In a preferred form of the invention a sleeve or socket which freely receives the pintle of the caster and is adapted to enter a bore in the leg of 30 the article is bevelled at its upper end andthe corresponding end of the pintle is provided with a projection arranged, when the article is lifted, to drop relatively to the sleeve so that the bevelled part thereof engages it and causes it and. therefore, the pintle and caster horn and wheel to turn on the axis ofthe said pintle.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:-

Fig. l is a perspective view of a caster constructed in accordance with the present invention and Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing, more particularly the pintle and socket o the said caster, and

Fig. 3 shows a device for preventing the caster wheel from turning too easily from a present position with respect to the article to which the caster is tted.

The caster shown comprises a horn or fork i carrying a wheel 2 and provided with a vertical pintel 3 passing through the bore of a sleeve ii.

The sleeve is bevelled at 5 and the upper end of the pintle is providedwith a nose or projection 6; and the sleeve receives the pintle in a manner permitting same easily to turn and slide with refrom one another. Owing to this the article spect to the sleeve. Hence when the leg oi the table or the like containing a bore which receives the sleeve and pintleis lifted the pintleldrops relatively to the sleeve and the projection rides down the bevei until it reaches the lowestfpoint, 5

thereof. This causes the pintle, fork 'and wheel 1 to turn on the axis of the les and always assume the same position lwith respect thereto. l

When the legs of a table orxthe like are-provided with casters as above described the casters are arranged to set in relatively diierent positions after the legs have been raised in the manner described, with the result that the wheels tend to move in diiferent directions when an attempt is made to displace the article and thus prevent the displacement being performed too 'easily e. g. accidentally.

The sleeve 4 is of sheet metal and is split from e bottom to top at 'I and partially at t to make it expansiblel so that it eiectively engages the bore into which it is inserted. Radially projecting lugs 9 at its lower end provide additional securing means.

For the purpose oi' locking the caster in the' predetermined position into which it i'alls the yoke of the fork I (Fig. 3) is provided with an upwardly projecting spring IIi adapted to enter a recess II in a ring I2 which connects a ferrule I3 with the sleeve 4. The recess is so arranged that the spring I0 comes exactly underneath the said m I recess when the leg isiraised and when the leg is lowered it will 'entei-.the recess. The spring Ill and, therefore, the caster fork and wheel are locked in this position. In Fig. -3 the projection Ill is provided by upwardly bending one end of 35 the spring` II', and passing this end through a hole Il in the yoke of the fork.

ySpring I1 is constructed as a torsionl spring which is rotatable on a pin I8 disposed between the shanks of fork I. One of the free ends I0 of 40 spring arm I9 projects through the aperture Il into the indenture I I of casing I2. The other arm it' is carried by pin I5 upon which the running wheel 2 is rotatably mounted. The journal pin it is attached to two link guides I8 disposed at .55 opposite sides of the wheel 2, whereby each of them is joined to the lower end of one of the shanks of the fork il by means of pin 20. In the rest position of the carriage the guides E6 take. a vertical or substantially vertical position. The 50 arm Si of. spring il is pressed upwardly. As a consequence the free end i@ of the spring arm i9 is pressed into the-recess ifi. in this way the fork i is secured in its position in respect to parts s,

i2 and i3. i 55 are again automatically locked.

What is claimed is:-

1. In a caster, the combination ofva yoke the caster wheel, a pintle projecting therefroml and having a projection near 'its upperend,'a'

sleeve surrounding the central portion of said pintle and spaced therefrom a distance less than the length of said projection, the upper end oi said sleeve being bevelled downwardly, and locking means comprising a spring mounted on said yoke and adapted to cooperate with the article in which said sleeve and pintle are mounted for locking said yoke against rotation with respect to said sleeve and article when the pintle is in ts uppermost position. t 'r 2. A caster, as claimed in claim 1. in which said fork is inclined and the caster wheel is provided with a journal pin. andin which the said spring is a coiled member having one arm engaged with -the fork and the other with the. said Journal pin,

and including links pivotally mounted on said iork and journalled on the journal pin, whereby 5 tending from said fork and having a projection formed at its outer end, alsleeve loosely mounted on said pintle and retained thereon against displacement by'T said projection, said sleeve having its upper edge formed with a cam surface to co- 15 operate 'with said projection, a sprin'g member mounted .on .said fork, having an arm thereof adapted to engage in a recess formed in the fork and in the article in which it is mounted and another arm to engage the wheel journal where- 20 by said fork will be locked against rotation when it is in its uppermost position with respect to the sleeve and the article in which it is mounted.

. JEANNE wrzmwmN, 25 Emecutri of the Estate of Jacques Weinmann, Deceased. 

